Veneering



May 5, 1936. R. N. HARTZELL 2,039,284

VENEERING Filed Feb. 16, 1933 WATBP- 'JOLUbl-E. ADHLOIVE- Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENEERING Robert N. Hartzell, Piqua, Ohio, assignor to Hartzell Industries, Inc., Piqua, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application February 16, 1933, Serial No. 656,987 1 claim. (01.91468) an outer adhesive capable of ready application'v upon wetting, and also a second adhesive adapted to be made effective upon the application of heat.

It is a further object to provide a method of applying veneering, which is easier and cheaper than methods heretofore used and likewise provides for obtaining novel decorative effects.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing, and the appended claim.

In the drawing,- A

Fig. 1 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a tape constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is la plan view of the underside of a piece of veneering showing the manner of using the tape therewith;

Fig. 3 is an elevational View with the tape in place, showing the manner in which the veneering is applied to the base wood;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4--4 of Fig. 5 showing the finished article with the veneering in place; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the finished article.

In order to improve the decorative appearance of articles of furniture and the like, it is customary to provide the base wood with a relatively thin sheet of material of contrasting characteristics as to surface ornamentation, etc., this sheet being known as a lamination or a veneering. The thickness of this sheet generally is within the limits of gli to 1/100 inch, though this invention is not restricted to dimensions of this order.

'Ihe invention provides a thin adhesive paper tape for holding in alignment the edges of a sheet of veneering during the preliminary manipulation of assembling the veneering in position on the base, and for holding the veneering permanently in the desired position. To accomplish these purposes-the tape is provided with a plurality of adhesives of different utility characteristics, one serving primarily to temporarily hold the edges preliminary to the placing of the veneering upon its final position, and the other serving to permanently hold the veneering in its desired position.

'I'he outer surface of the tape is provided with an adhesive which is water soluble so that it can very quickly and easily be applied by simply wetting it. Under this outer adhesive coating is the second layer of adhesive, adapted to serve as the permanent adhesive, of such character that it is practically unaffected by Water and so is not changed during the wetting of the outer layer, but 5 is adapted to be softened and the adhesive made effective upon the application of heat thereto.

The tape further is of such character that it may be applied to the underside of the sheet of veneering so that when the veneering is in position upon the base material, the strip is entirely concealed. When heat and pressure are applied to permanently aiix the veneering to the base, the tape is likewise affected and the adhesive thereon permanently holds the veneering in the original position. This is a great improvement upon the old lprocess wherein an adhesive strip was placed upon the outer side of the veneering. Following the attachment of the veneering sheet to the base board in this old process, it was necessary to remove the adhesive strip and this made necessary a finishing, sanding, and surfacing operation. In the case of very thin laminations of the order of l/1OO of an inch, any extensive or effective resurfacing was of course practically impossible.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tape is indicated generally at I0; The tape which may be made as a long strip, comprises a. backing portion II which preferably is constructed of thin strong paper, a suitable type being a bond paper of approximately two or three thousandths inch thickness. On one surface of the paper is a thin layer of adhesive I2. This adhesive is of a water resisting character and is designed to be softened and made eective upon the application of heat thereto. The preferred composition is a combination of casein glue with rubber latex. Al-

ternatively this adhesive may be formed of a bakelite varnish or the like. This adhesive may be applied to the paper strip as a liquid and subsequently dried.

Overlying the adhesive I2, is a second adhesive I3 which is of such character that it is adapted k4,5

to be softened and made effective by wetting. A preferred composition is a water soluble animal glue, or the like, the water soluble glue being applied to the dried surface or layer of the adhesive I2, and then dried.

The lamination or veneering I5 has been illustrated as circular in outline and is formed with radial meeting edges I6. It is necessary to hold these meeting edges in proper alignment preparatory to the placing of-the veneering upon the base piece, and in order to do so the tape III is aillxed to the side of the lamination which is to be placed against the base board. In order te aflix the tape, it is only necessary to wet the surface of the same and the coating of adhesive I3 will be made effective to temporarily hold the meeting edges in the desired position. It is not necessary to provide any overlapping of these edges although this may be done if desired, the tape serving to hold the parts of the lamination in any predetermined relative position.

The lamination is then placed upon the base member I 1 to which it is to be attached, with the taped side down, a sheet of adhesive I 8 of bakelite or the like, of substantially the same outline as the lamination, being positioned between the lamination and the base member so as to serve to hold the parts permanently together after heat and pressure is applied. The uncoated surface of the tape II) rests upon the adhesive sheet I8, Fig. 3 showing the parts in substantially assembled relationship prior to the pressing operation. It will be noted that the base is not recessed to receive the veneering, although a suitable recess may be provided in case a rela.- tively thick sheet of veneering is employed. Recessing is unnecessary, however as both the tape and the lamination are very thin and can be pressed ush into the body of the base member.

Pressure is then applied to the top and bottom surfaces and heat is likewise supplied from the two plates 20 and 2| of the press, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The necessary pressure is applied to press the lamination into the top of the base I'I to such extent that the top surface of the lamination and of the base are ush. As indicated, the tape I0 likewise is embedded within the base, the base being deformed during the pressing operation so as to maintain the flush appearance through the top surface of the lamination.

Heat is supplied to the plates 20 and 2|, simultaneously with the pressure, and this heat serves to effect a softening of the adhesive I8 so that the lamination and the paper base of the tape are firmly and permanently attached to the base member I'I. This heat likewise serves to render effective the adhesive I2 on the surface of the tape itself, which adhesive then holds firmly and permanently the abutting edges of the lamination in their original arrangement and secures the lamination to the paper base of the tape permanently. The adhesives I8 and I2, when heated, will permeate the tape as well as the adjacent wood surfaces so that a very firm and solid union is formed, that is not loosened or affected by moisture.

The finished article presents a very pleasing appearance and the difficulties of removing the tape from the outer surface of the lamination, as has been customary in the past, is obvated. Furthermore the upper surface is smooth, and its decorative appearance is not injured or deformed in any way. The invention is particularly applicable for the use of very thin laminations of the order of 1/100" thickness which are pressed into the body of the base member, but, is also applicable to the case of heavier strips of veneering applied upon the surface of or depressed into the base member. In either case, the tape may be used to hold abutting edges in predetermined relationship during the preliminary manipulation and islikewise effective to permanently position the sections upon the application of heat.

While the method and article herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise method and article, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A veneering tape comprising a paper backing member having a layer of adhesive formed of a casein glue and rubber latex, and having a second layer of adhesive overlying the first and formed of a water soluble animal glue, said second layer providing an exposed surface which i sticky when moist.

ROBERT N. HARTZELL. 

